No Way of Knowing
by WizardWay
Summary: We see the Sorting of four important individuals that make a great impact on life as we know it. But the Sorting Hat doesn't know what they will do. He only knows what house they belong in.


The Sorting Hat was a great asset to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He put students in which house best suited them – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. He could reach inside their minds, know their memories, and know exactly what they were thinking at the present time. But one power that the Sorting Hat did not have was the ability to sense the repercussions of his actions. And there were quite a few of those.

1971; a year to be remembered. The Sorting Hat sorted 16 eleven-year-old boys and 17 eleven-year-old girls into Gryffindor that year. He could recall four of the boys especially. They were all so different, and yet somehow, exactly the same.

The first of the four he met was Sirius Black. Let's recount Mr. Black's sorting, shall we?

"_Black, Sirius!" The Deputy Headmistress called._

_A boy with long black locks and a solemn expression walked up to the stool. The Hat dropped over his eyes. _

'_Difficult,' the Hat mused._

'_What the hell?' Sirius thought, confused. 'You talk?'_

'_Of course I do,' the Hat scoffed. 'I'd be quite boring if I didn't. Now, where to put you…'_

'_Slytherin, I suppose,' the boy thought glumly._

'_Maybe,' the Hat said thoughtfully. 'You surely have cunning and ambition, but you have the qualities of other houses as well.'_

'_Really?' _

'_Really. You also have loyalty, a good trait for a Hufflepuff, but you're surely not a hard worker, so definitely not there,' the Hat pondered. 'You are a bundle of wit, and quite smart, but Ravenclaw wouldn't fit you either…'_

'_So it's Slytherin,' Sirius grumbled. 'I supposed as much.'_

'_Now hold on, boy,' the Hat sent the thought to Sirius's head. 'There's still one house left.'_

'_Gryffindor?' If Sirius could have laughed in his head, he would have. 'Blacks don't get sorted into Gryffindor. Besides, that bloody prig James Potter will end up there. I can't believe we got along, even for ten minutes…'_

'_But you are one of the bravest boys I have ever seen,' the Hat told him. 'And would make a great asset to Gryffindor house.'_

'_Wait, but -"_

"_GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat called to the hall._

'_Mum's going to murder me,' was Sirius's last thought before the Hat was wrenched of his head._

And there is the Sorting of Sirius Black.

The next of the four the Sorting Hat met was Remus Lupin. He was a considerably easy sorting.

"_Lupin, Remus!" McGonagall called. _

_A pale boy with light brown hair and dark eyes who was quite obviously shaking – whether with anticipation or fright – hurried up to the stool. _

'_Well, would you look at that!' the Hat said pleasantly. 'Finally, I get an easy Sorting.'_

'_You – you're not sending me home, are you? Because of- because of-' Remus thought nervously. _

'_Don't be a fool – you, my young friend, have gone through more in six years than most people go through in a lifetime.'_

'_What do you mean?'_

_Without answering, the Hat called "GRYFFINDOR!" to tumultuous applause. _

Remus Lupin was definitely brave.

The third of the quartet to be seen by the Hat was Peter Pettigrew, who was far more difficult than either of his predecessors.

"_Pettigrew, Peter!" _

_A squat little boy with watery blue eyes hurried nervously towards the stool. As the Sorting Hat was slipped over his eyes, he became extremely apprehensive._

'_What do we have here?' the Hat said as Peter Pettigrew sat. _

'_Talking hat?' Peter thought. 'Oh, dear. Is there a bathroom I can go vomit in, talking hat?'_

'_Now, calm down,' the Hat chuckled. 'It's okay; I'm simply here to put you in your house.'_

'_I – I really hope I'm in a good house,' Peter confessed._

'_All of them are good houses,' the Hat said sternly. 'Now we have to decide which one of them you belong to. Let's see...not exceptionally bright. Not a Ravenclaw in the least. You are quite ambitious, so Slytherin is an option.'_

'_Oh my,' Peter fretted. 'I'm not sure I would do well in there. My mum says that Slytherins are scary.'_

'_Not all of them are,' the Hat said. 'It varies person to person. Now, you are not cunning, Slytherin's other most valued trait. Hmmm…Hufflepuff may be a good option – you are a diligent worker. Your loyalty, on the other hand, needs a little work.'_

'_Sorry,' Peter thought shamefacedly. _

'_No need to be sorry,' the Hat said. 'Now, Gryffindor is an option as well. You most assuredly have some bravery in you.'_

'_Truly?' Peter thought. 'My older brother says I could never make Gryffindor because I'm too much of a chicken.'_

'_Your brother is Gerald Pettigrew of Hufflepuff,' the Hat reached inside Peter's mind. 'In seventh year. Well, he has no say in it at all, then, does he?'_

'_No, I suppose not,' Peter realized._

'_So, the options are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin,' the Hat pondered. 'Now which one is the correct house for you? I think that you would do exceptionally well in either Slytherin or Gryffindor especially. Slytherin would most assuredly help you if you'd like to pursue some of the dreams you have in this here head of yours.'_

_Peter didn't even realize that the Hat had said something about his head in his immense distress. Otherwise, his reaction would be much worse. 'Not Slytherin!' he thought. 'Please not Slytherin!'_

'_Then I suppose it must be…' _

"_GRYFFINDOR!" _

_Peter breathed a sigh of relief. _

Yes, young Mr. Pettigrew was a difficult case indeed.

And the last of the infamous four had come – directly after Peter. James Potter.

"_Potter, James!" _

_James strolled confidently up to the stool. He knew where he was going, what he was doing, and how he was going to get it done. Yes, life was good for James Potter. The Hat dropped over his eyes. _

'_Well, well, well,' the Hat thought. 'James Potter.'_

'_You talk?' James thought excitedly. 'That's amazing! What else can you do?'_

'_Many things,' the Hat chuckled. 'Now, let's get down to the business of putting you in a house.'_

'_Gryffindor,' James said, dismissing the issue immediately. 'I'm a Gryffindor.' _

'_I wouldn't be so sure,' the Hat said. 'Now, you have a fine mind, and a good amount of wit. Ravenclaw, however, is not your calling.'_

'_Gryffindor,' James sang inside his head._

'_Hufflepuff, on the other hand, could be an option,' the Hat pondered. 'You are quite loyal, and when pressed to, you are a hard worker.'_

'_I am _not_ going to be a Hufflepuff,' James thought, revolted at the very idea. 'That's barmy.'_

'_It's still an option,' the Hat thought. 'Slytherin…you are a bit ambitious, though not overly so, but also cunning…Slytherin would fit you well.'_

'_No!' James said, having an even worse reaction than to Hufflepuff. 'Not a chance in hell I'm going into Slytherin. Now put me in Gryffindor!' _

'_Patience,' the Hat chided. 'Now, on to Gryffindor. You are definitely brave, and I can see chivalry in here as well.'_

'_So put me in Gryffindor and stop this nonsense!' James said, quite frustrated with the frayed hat on his head. _

'_Very well.'_

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_

And there you have it.

Now, the Sorting Hat had no way of knowing what the future held for these four individuals and what an impact his sorting gave them. But it is the same for the millions of others he has sorted in his time at Hogwarts.

Because you have no way of knowing what the future holds. Even if you're a talking hat.


End file.
